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From privilege to prison for Harriet Wran

Warwick Goodman

From a privileged upbringing to accused of murdering a drug dealer at a notorious inner-Sydney housing commission block, Harriet Wran's downfall has been stunning.

Born into political aristocracy, the daughter of late NSW premier Neville Wran, and the goddaughter of Kerry Packer, is understood to have been "numb" on the drug ice when a suspected drug dealer was murdered on Sunday night.

Wran, 26, has been charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated break and enter following a double stabbing in Redfern.

The university student did not appear when her matter came before Liverpool Local Court on Thursday.

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Her barrister, Winston Terracini SC, indicated she would fight the charges.

"At this stage we'll be pleading not guilty," he said.

Police allege Wran was "numb" on crystal methamphetamine when she went to the housing block with her co-accused Michael Lee, 35, and Lloyd Edward Haines, 29, on the weekend.

The trio then allegedly broke into the home of drug dealer Daniel McNulty.

Lee was allegedly armed with a knife.

It is understood Wran was desperate to purchase drugs when a fight broke out with Mr McNulty.

Mr McNulty, 48, was stabbed twice and died from the wounds.

A witness, Brett Fitzgerald, was also injured. He remains at St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition.

At the time of the stabbings, it is believed Wran had been living rough and battling a long term drug problem.

It is a far cry from her privileged childhood.

She attended the exclusive eastern Sydney schools Ascham and SCEGGS Darlinghurst and is expected to receive a share of the reported $40 million inheritance left by her father.

Former schoolmates on Thursday said Wran had loved acting in school productions and singled out her intelligence.

However, she is believed to have relapsed into drug abuse around the time of her father's death in late April.

Wran appeared the model daughter at her father's state funeral on May 1, reading out poems during the service.

Neville Wran was the Labor premier of NSW between 1976 and 1986 and one of the most revered figures in the state's political history.

His troubled daughter was studying modern history at Sydney University.

Her mother, Jill Hickson, flew into Sydney from Brisbane on Thursday morning, visibly distressed and asking the waiting media for privacy.

Wran, who is being held at Silverwater jail, and Lee will remain in custody after neither applied for bail on Thursday.